Ice making assembly with chilled reservoir

Abstract

An ice making assembly includes a mold assembly with a mold cavity defined in the mold assembly. The ice making assembly also includes a reservoir in fluid communication with the mold assembly to provide a flow of liquid water to the mold cavity defined in the mold assembly. The ice making assembly further includes a thermally conductive element positioned at least partially in the reservoir. The thermally conductive element receives a flow of chilled air from the sealed system, such that the liquid water in the reservoir is chilled by the chilled air via the thermally conductive element.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A refrigerator appliance comprising:
 a cabinet;   a liner attached to the cabinet, the liner defining a chilled compartment;   a sealed system mounted to the cabinet to selectively cool the chilled compartment; and   an ice making assembly, the ice making assembly comprising
 a mold assembly; 
 a mold cavity defined in the mold assembly; 
 a reservoir in fluid communication with the mold assembly to provide a flow of liquid water to the mold cavity defined in the mold assembly; and 
 a thermally conductive element positioned at least partially in the reservoir, the thermally conductive element positioned and configured to receive a flow of chilled air from the sealed system, whereby the liquid water in the reservoir is chilled by the chilled air via the thermally conductive element. 
   
     
     
         2 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the thermally conductive element comprises a cylindrical element extending from a first end positioned in the reservoir to a second end positioned in direct contact with the flow of chilled air from the sealed system. 
     
     
         3 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 2 , further comprising a freezer compartment defined in the liner, wherein the second end of the thermally conductive element is positioned in the freezer compartment. 
     
     
         4 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 2 , wherein the second end of the thermally conductive element is positioned in a duct downstream of the sealed system. 
     
     
         5 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 2 , wherein the thermally conductive element comprises fins at the second end. 
     
     
         6 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 2 , wherein the thermally conductive element comprises a solid rod. 
     
     
         7 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 2 , wherein the thermally conductive element comprises a heat pipe heat exchanger. 
     
     
         8 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the thermally conductive element defines an internal volume in fluid communication with the sealed system whereby the flow of chilled air from the sealed system flows into the internal volume of the thermally conductive element to chill the liquid water in the reservoir. 
     
     
         9 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 8 , wherein the internal volume of the thermally conductive element comprises a single open cavity positioned and configured to receive the flow of chilled air. 
     
     
         10 . The refrigerator appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the thermally conductive element comprises a duct extending from an inlet in fluid communication with the sealed system whereby the inlet receives the flow of chilled air from the sealed system to an outlet in fluid communication with the sealed system whereby a return flow of air to the sealed system flows from the duct at the outlet. 
     
     
         11 . An ice making assembly, comprising:
 a mold assembly;   a mold cavity defined in the mold assembly;   a reservoir in fluid communication with the mold assembly to provide a flow of liquid water to the mold cavity defined in the mold assembly; and   a thermally conductive element positioned at least partially in the reservoir, the thermally conductive element positioned and configured to receive a flow of chilled air from a sealed system, whereby the liquid water in the reservoir is chilled by the chilled air via the thermally conductive element.   
     
     
         12 . The ice making assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the thermally conductive element comprises a cylindrical element extending from a first end positioned in the reservoir to a second end positioned in direct contact with the flow of chilled air from the sealed system. 
     
     
         13 . The ice making assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the second end of the thermally conductive element is positioned in a chilled food storage compartment. 
     
     
         14 . The ice making assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the second end of the thermally conductive element is positioned in a duct downstream of the sealed system. 
     
     
         15 . The ice making assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the thermally conductive element comprises fins at the second end. 
     
     
         16 . The ice making assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the thermally conductive element comprises a solid rod. 
     
     
         17 . The ice making assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the thermally conductive element comprises a heat pipe heat exchanger. 
     
     
         18 . The ice making assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the thermally conductive element defines an internal volume in fluid communication with the sealed system whereby the flow of chilled air from the sealed system flows into the internal volume of the thermally conductive element to chill the liquid water in the reservoir. 
     
     
         19 . The ice making assembly of  claim 18 , wherein the internal volume of the thermally conductive element comprises a single open cavity positioned and configured to receive the flow of chilled air. 
     
     
         20 . The ice making assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the thermally conductive element comprises a duct extending from an inlet in fluid communication with the sealed system whereby the inlet receives the flow of chilled air from the sealed system to an outlet in fluid communication with the sealed system whereby a return flow of air to the sealed system flows from the duct at the outlet.